Hand brake mechanism



Feb. 27, 1968 R. A. NITSCH 3,370,678

HAND BRAKE MECHANI SM Filed Sept. 29, 1966 INVENTOR.

P055 7719- IV/TSCh' HTTOI? EY United States Patent 3,370,678 HAND BRAKE MECHANEM Robert A. Nitseh, New York, N.Y., assignor to Elicon- National lire, Totowa Borough, N..l'., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 29, 1966, Eer. No. 582,93 2 Claims. (Cl. 188--33) ABSTRAQT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A vertical hand brake mechanism for operating the brake shoes of a modern super railway car including a brake mechanism mounted towards one corner of the end of a railway car. A hand wheel is mounted on the brake mechanism for actuation by an operator standing on the sill step or on the ground. A first trip lever is pivotally mounted on the brake mechanism and a link arm extends therefrom. A lever bracket is mounted on the same end of the railway car towards the other side thereof and a second trip lever is pivotally mounted thereon. A rigid rod interconnects the link and the second lever, both of the levers being disposed adjacent the lower corners respectively of the end of the railway car so that a man can move one or the other trip lever to release the brake mechanism.

This invention has to do with hand brake mechanisms and more particularly to new and improved apparatus for actuating hand brakes. The hand brake mechanism according to this invention is particularly adapted, among other possible uses, for use on modern railway cars of the type presently operated by American, Mexican and Canadian railways. The brake mechanism according to this invention may be used as new or original equipment on railway cars, or it may be used as replacement or attachments to brake mechanisms presently in operation.

Heretofore, vertical wheel hand brakes have been mounted on the end of freight cars in the immediate vicinity of the top or the roof of the cars, and also a short distance to the left of the vertical centerline thereof. This was done so that a train man, car rider, or the like, could stand with his right foot on the brake step and his left foot on a rung of the adjacent ladder, and operate the brake wheel while looking over the top of the car. In this manner he could see where the car was going and how close it was to a standing car or a stopping position.

With the advent of the so-called super cars, i.e. cars that are unusually wide and high, the tops of the cars have been raised practically to the clearance line to which they may be built and to which encroaching structures, tunnels, and the like, are likewise built, so that there is no room for a man to safely operate a brake in this high position.

Accordingly, for operation with super cars, the hand brake is installed close to the end of the car and close to the side of the car. Hence, the brake can now be operated by a man standing on the sill step located at the side of the car adjacent the end thereof, or he may stand on the ground.

In brief, the present invention comprises the provision of a hand brake mechanism for operating the brake shoes of a railway car including a brake mechanism mounted on a car, and means for applying the brake mechanism. A trip lever is operatively connected to the brake mechanism for releasing same, the trip lever being pivotally mounted on said railway car towards one corner of one end of the car. A lever bracket is mounted on the same end of the car towards the other side thereof, and a second trip lever is pivotaliy mounted thereon. Means such as a rigid rod is provided to operatively connect the trip 3,3?dfi'l Patented Feb. 27, 1968 levers together so that movement of either one of the levers causes release of the brakes.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision of a new and improved hand brake mechanism which elimiates the risk of injury that might be caused by an operators head or body being struck by encroaching structures or tunnels, and which eliminates the time required for a man to climb up the ladder and return to the ground incident with the operation of prior art devices.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a hand brake mechanism which is readily accessible to the operator for setting and releasing the brakes from the ground, and which may be readily released from either side of the railway car. The latter feature, of releasing the brake from either side of the car, is extremely important in the make-up of trains for departure from a yard. Quite often hand brakes will be set while individual drags (a few cars coupled together) await connection or bunching into a complete train. It is the custom for a member of a train crew to walk the entire length of the train making certain that all hand brakes have been released. According to the present invention, if a hand brake is found set on the left side of the car and the train crewman happens to be walking on the right hand side, he can readily release the brake by manipulating the trip lever on his side of the car.

According to the present invention, as another feature thereof, there is provided a new and improved hand brake mechanism which is reliable, which is simple, which is economical, and which is otherwise well suited for its intended purpose.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of the invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary end elevational View of a railway car showing a hand brake mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention operatively applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the hand brake mechanism; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a railway car showing the mounting means of one of the trip levers of the hand brake mechanism.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the hand brake mechanism for operatin the brake shoes of a railway car comprises a brake mechanism 10 mounted towards one corner of the end of a railway car 12. The railway car is provided with sill steps 14 and is mounted on car wheels 16. Any suitable brake rigging (not shown) may be employed for operatively connecting the brake mechanism 10 with the brake shoes (not shown) which engage the car wheels 16.

A hand wheel 18, FIG. 2, is mounted on the brake mechanism 143 for actuation thereof for applying the brakes. The trip lever 22 is pivotally mounted on the brake mechanism 10 for releasing the brake mechanism.

3 The trip lever normally extends substantially vertically downwardly, as shown in FIG. 1. A link arm 24 extends from said trip lever in substantially the opposite direction. In effect, the link arm 24 and the trip lever 22 coact to form a bell crank.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, a lever bracket 25 is mounted on the same end of the railway car, but towards the other side thereof, and a second trip lever 26 is pivotally mounted thereon in spaced relationship with respect to the end of the car 12, as by means of a bolt 28 and nut 30 provided for the purpose. A rigid rod 32 is provided with hook-like ends 34, FIG. 2, and 36, FIG. 3, which are connected to the link arm 24 and trip lever 26, respectively.

It will be appreciated that both of the levers 22 and 26, extend substantially vertically downwardly, as best seen in FIG. 1, and both of the levers are disposed adjacent the lower corners 38 and 40 of the car 12 so that they are readily within the reach of an operator who is either standing on one of the sill steps 14 adjacent the end of the car, or on the ground.

In operation, the hand wheel is rotated producing a force which is transmitted through the brake mechanism and brake rigging to the car wheels. The brake is released by pulling either of the trip levers 22 or 26 from their position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 1 to their positions shown by the broken lines in FIG. 1. The angles of rotation, 42 and 44, for releasing the brakes are of the order of about 30 degrees. As pointed out hereinbefore, the brakes can readily be released from either side of the car by manipulating either trip lever 22 or26, as desired.

Thus it is seen that applicant have indeed provided a new and improved brake mechanism which eflectively meets the objects specified hereinbefore.

Although a certain particular embodiment of the invention is herein disclosed for purposes of explanation, further modifications thereof, after study of this specification, will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Reference accordingly should be had to the appanded claims in determining the scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A vertical hand brake mechanism for operating the brake shoes of a modern, wide and high, railway car comprising a brake mechanism disposed towards one corbrake mechanism for releasing said brake mechanism,

said trip lever being pivotally mounted on the brake mechanism, a link arm extending from said trip lever, a lever bracket mounted on said end of said car towards the other side thereof, a second trip lever pivotally mounted on said lever bracket, a rigid rod interconnecting said link and said second lever, both of said levers being disposed adjacent the lower corners respectively of the end of said railway car, whereby a man standing on the ground can move one of said trip levers upwardly to release said brake mechanism.

2. A vertical hand brake mechanism for operating the brake shoes of a modern, wide and high, railway car comprising a car frame, a brake mechanism mounted on said car frame towards one corner of the end of the railway car, hand wheel means mounted on said brake mechanism for applying said brake mechanism by an operator standing on the sill step or on the ground, a trip lever mechanically connected to said brake mechanism for releasing said brake mechanism, said trip lever being pivotally mounted on the brake mechanism and extending substantially vertically downwardly, a link arm extending from said trip lever in substantially the opposite direction, a lever bracket mounted on said end of said car towards the other side thereof, a second trip lever pivotally mounted on said lever bracket, a rigid rod interconnecting said link and said second lever, said second lever extending substantially vertically downwardly, both of said levers being disposed adjacent the lower corners respectively of the end of said railway car, whereby a man standing on the ground can move one of said trip levers upwardly at an angle of the order of about 30 degrees to release said brake mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 987,534 3/1911 Barr 188107 1,061,900 5/1913 Clelland 188-107 2,020,059 11/1935 Hughes ct al. 188107 2,508,186 5/1950 Newell l88107 X DUANE A. REGER, Primary Examiner. 

